Winning School Received $40,000 in Prizes

In Tune Partners, LLC, publishers of In Tune Monthly magazine and a suite of integrated educational media serving music students and teachers nationally, presented the grand prize of over $40,000 in musical equipment to Gardiner Middle School in Oregon City, OR last week. The Ultimate Music Room Makeover contest was In Tune's 4th annual.

Gardiner Middle School band, choir and art teacher, Mrs. Cheryl Rizzo submitted the winning essay last Spring, and her class of over fifty music students, school officials, and a cadre of media, were on hand for In Tune's presentation of recording gear, musical instruments and accessories, software, chairs and music stands donated by In Tune sponsors Yamaha, Wenger, Buffet Crampon, Peavey, Pearl, Zildjian, Pro-Mark, Roland, Notion and Shure.

The annual In Tune Ultimate Music Room Makeover contest solicits essays from its audience of over 44,000 middle and high school teachers asking about their need for a "music room makeover." MENC: The National Association for Music Education helps publicize the contest, and Mrs. Rizzo is a member.

Mrs. Rizzo's essay detailed Gardiner's need for the instruments and equipment, but it also showed her passion for supporting music in her school and the character of her hard working music students. "The difference it will make in many students lives is immeasurable. The opportunity to be able to play on a working instrument after struggling with old instruments that have to be constantly repaired is good for the sound and self esteem of the band," said Mrs. Rizzo. "Coming into a room with state of the art equipment changes everything." Her essay detailed the struggles the music program has faced over the years, as students played on "frankeninstruments," as she called them because they were held together with duct tape and rubber bands.

"We're proud to join our partners and sponsors in their commitment to supporting music in our schools each year with the Ultimate Music Room Makeover contest," said In Tune Partners CEO, Irwin Kornfeld. "And it is most gratifying that in this economic environment these companies actually increased their gifts." Executives from Yamaha and Wenger Corporation were also on hand to present the equipment.